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Kim Neumaier is pictured with some of the materials provided by Lighthouse Catholic Media at one of its kiosks. (Photo by Sue Klamer Barry) |
MADISON — Have you ever wanted to know more about your Catholic faith, but felt you didn’t have the time or enough knowledge to join a Bible study? Or that you didn’t have the time to read a lengthy book on theology?
Well, join the club, because that would probably include a vast majority of the practicing Catholics in our diocese as well as many lapsed Catholics in our diocese and in our world, according to several staff members at one of the fastest growing Catholic media distributors in the country, Lighthouse Catholic Media, Inc. (LCM).
Local Account Manager for Lighthouse Media since 2007, Kim Neumaier, says, “I can’t believe how much this company has grown since it began in 2005.”
| Latest in technology available |
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| In 2011, Lighthouse Catholic Media (LCM) embarked on a number of new endeavors that utilize some of the newest forms of technology available to media outlets today. • For example,“Truth Be Told” is the first ever young adult download of the month club. It launched in September of 2011. • Also new is the Official Catechism for Young Adults (YOUCAT) Empowering Youth with the Truth. This program was developed with the help of young Catholics and written for young adults and Confirmation students. YOUCAT is an accessible, contemporary expression of the Catholic faith. • The company is expanding its availability of Spanish titles. • There are free downloads for military personnel. • There is a growing distribution of titles to prisons. • Lighthouse offers ground-breaking and popular multimedia programs from Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, a new media ministry led by Fr. Robert Barron, one of today’s most powerful evangelists and sought-after speakers on the spiritual life. • Together with St. Joseph Communications and Our Sunday Visitor, LCM co-publishes many pamphlets that are rooted in the Catholic tradition and teaching and address topics on the minds of many parishioners in straightforward, clear, and concise ways. Lighthouse pamphlets include: How to Make a Good Confession, How to Pray the Rosary, Why Does the Church Teach That, and Top 10 Catholic Questions on the Da Vinci Code. Sunday Visitor Pamphlets include topics such as: Eucharistic Adoration, How to Pray As a Catholic, and Top 10 Reasons to Come Back to the Catholic Church. n Titles of the CDs provided by LCM include: Anger and Forgiveness by Deacon Dr. Bob McDonald, How to Win the World Without Losing Your Soul by Dave Durand, The Forgotten Virtue by Fr. William Casey C.P.M., Our Lives Change When Our Habits Change by Matthew Kelly, There is Life in the Womb by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, The Healing Power of Confession by Dr. Scott Hahn, and many, many more. To learn more about what Lighthouse Catholic Media offers, go to: www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org |
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Lighthouse Catholic Media, which mainly distributes CDs on various Catholic topics presented by top Catholic leaders, including bishops, priests, theologians, and lay people, has spread the good news of the Gospel to over 4,000 parishes worldwide.
“Other companies are looking at Lighthouse Catholic Media, a non-profit organization based out of Sycamore, Ill., and trying to figure out what has been the secret to its ever-increasing success,” Neumaier said.
Kiosks share the faith
Neumaier oversees the distribution of LCM’s CDs and other materials for the Diocese of Madison and for the Diocese of La Crosse as well as for four dioceses in the state of Iowa.
Her job is to connect with parishes in those dioceses and help them to implement the Parish Faith-raiser Program or the CD of the Month Parish Program, two of the most popular programs offered by the company.
Lighthouse released its first catalog in 2011, which was designed to help showcase all the titles and programs available for parishes to choose from so the church displays (kiosks) can be kept updated with new materials according to the liturgical seasons and addressing important Catholic issues.
Neumaier said, “Visitors often go to parishes and pick up literature and CDs from the kiosks and then call Lighthouse to find out how they can get them.”
She said it is estimated that each CD distributed is then passed on or listened to by three other people. It is an easy way for someone to share their faith and when someone gets excited about something they’ve listened to, they want to pass it on.
Effective resources
The mission at Lighthouse Catholic Media is to provide parishes with the most effective Catholic resources and programs available for helping Catholics wherever they are in their journey of faith, especially for catechesis, religious education, and evangelization.
To this end, LCM has created numerous simple, self-sustaining, cost-effective approaches for getting the faith-filled materials into the hands of Catholics, like Lighthouse’s “Come Closer to Christ Sundays” and the CD of the Month Club Parish programs.
With the CD of the Month Parish Program, donations are made back to the parish by LCM when one of the parish members has a subscription to the CD of the Month Club. LCM has also been working on ways to help get the materials into parishes that might not have the finances to get them.
Spreading the ‘fire’
“The Lighthouse CDs have been like igniters,” Neumaier said. “When we can get the priests to have these materials available to their parishioners, it’s like the (faith) fire spreads. Priests know that people need to be catechized and it can’t happen with just a Sunday homily. People are hungry for the news of the Gospel and for the reasons and meanings behind their faith,” she said.
In the recent catalog put out by LCM, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago says, “I recommend your program to all pastors as a way to rekindle the faith of Catholics.”
Neumaier says her own faith journey was fueled by a talk she heard on Relevant Radio when she was driving in her car in November of 2007.
“Dave Durand was talking about Lighthouse (Catholic Media) and asking people to join the New Evangelization,” said Neumaier. “I was looking for something that I could do to help my family financially and I thought ‘what if I could help His Kingdom at the same time?’
“I went to the Web site and entered my information. Dave called me less than an hour later, and my involvement grew from there.”
Many testimonials
There are many testimonials on the Lighthouse Catholic Media Web site (www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org) or on YouTube.
People are saying that listening to these CDs is an exciting and easy way to learn more about their faith. A person can listen to the CDs while they are cooking dinner, driving to work, or doing many other everyday tasks.
The beauty of the CD apostolate is people can learn about their faith on the go and then pass it on by handing someone else the CD.
Three key pillars of success
In a recent phone interview, the founder of Lighthouse Catholic Media, Mark Middendorf, said he believes “there are three key pillars going on which are taking Lighthouse on its successful path.
“The first pillar of success is the individual Masses that are being said for this apostolate. The Mass is the most powerful form of prayer we have.
“The second pillar to hold up the success of this apostolate,” he continued, “is that we encourage our account managers to make the St. Louis de Montfort Consecration.” This consecration was near and dear to Blessed Pope John Paul’s pontificate and is a guiding light for those at Lighthouse.
The third pillar is the Divine Mercy Chaplet, he said, and this too the company encourages its account managers to pray.
Middendorf explained that the Lighthouse Apostolate from its beginning has had apostolic blessings from Rome. “‘Totus Tuus’ was Pope John Paul II’s apostolic motto,” he observed. It is a Latin phrase meaning “totally yours”and expressed his personal consecration to Mary based on the spiritual approach of St. Louis de Montfort and the Mariology in his works, Middendorf said.
By observing these prayers continuing to be proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI, “it (the Lighthouse Ministry) is truly being touched by God’s grace,” said Middendorf.
Supporting the Year of Faith
Pope Benedict XVI has declared a “Year of Faith” which will begin in October 2012 and run until November 24, 2013, the Solemnity of Christ the King. He announced the year during a summit organized by the recently formed Pontifical Council for the promotion of the New Evangelization.
The New Evangelization aims to revive Catholicism in traditionally Christian countries which have been particularly affected by secularization in recent decades.
In the LCM catalog, Pope Benedict XVI is quoted saying, “I beg you . . . Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance! Make a sacrifice of your time for it.”
Lighthouse Catholic Media is now in 59 countries. Worldwide there are over 500 account managers putting materials in the hands of parishes and people.
Transforming lives
Middendorf also expressed how powerful testimonials have been in spreading the Catholic faith through CDs offered in parishes and conferences in this country and in other countries.
For example, in one very dramatic case, Middendorf said, there was an LCM conference in Texas and at such conferences vendors promote their materials.
Recently one of those vendors from St. Joseph’s Communications had a young man thank him because the young man said, “A year ago I was going to shoot myself, but I came by this table and picked up a CD that changed my life.” He had gotten another CD six months later and now was considering entering the seminary.
Neumaier said that LCM has transformed her life and her whole family’s life. “I am quite certain that by spreading these powerful materials, I have helped to change more than one life — and it is a humbling experience to be a foot soldier for Christ.
Neumaier mixes her work with a busy lifestyle. She and her husband Jim have seven children ranging in age from 17 years old to one year old. Kim homeschools all but the two oldest, who attend St. Ambrose Academy in Madison. Kim also helps her husband run their family business, Ballweg Construction.
To learn more
To find out more about Lighthouse Catholic Media, Inc., including how to become an account manager or volunteer, go to www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org
To find out how your parish can start receiving LCM materials and CDs, e-mail Kim Neumaier at kim@lighthousecatholicmedia.org